Today’s Bible reading has Solomon (1 Kings 5-6) working to bring the idea of a temple from the planning stage into a reality.

What a momentous undertaking, the natural resources needed from word, stone cut in quarries far away, but also a huge need for manpower.

5:13-King Solomon conscripted laborers from all Israel–thirty thousand men. He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home.

Two things stand out to me as salient. One, Samuel was absolutely right when he foretold the struggles which would ensue from having a king. Turning over leadership to an earthly king instead of a heavenly Father came at a price. Secondly, as Solomon sought to honor God and use godly wisdom he had to build with his brothers, the workers in mind. He showed concern for the families of the workers realizing that when the family starts falling apart, the nation isn’t far behind. Continue reading “Building with our Brothers in Mind”

Saying goodbye is never easy! Next week I start a new ministry, but this week I saw goodbye to a ministry that helped shape me. As we saw yesterday, the Holy Spirit unites us together as partners in the Gospel. Regardless of what we have in distinction, we are one through Christ! As Paul continues he reveals that what God begins, he finishes.

God began a good work in us! (Philippians 1:6) 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

We get all the hope for humanity in one verse, God’s work for us began at the cross through Christ, continued through the Holy Spirit’s work in us, and will be completed by Christ’s return to rework the world. We get a promise of progress towards completion. When you want to throw up your hands in frustration, when you are left sighing so heavily it could knock over a small shack, wondering, “Does any of this matter at all?” Here is a promise that your effort is an investment, that when you give of yourself, God is willing to give you more and more of himself! It is a promise that all the work you are called to do is building to something, is actually building you up as a new someone, and that all the effort isn’t all an existential experiment.

This phrase, carrying it on to completion, reminds me of a construction site. In fact, it specifically reminds me of working part-time doing construction. We took properties that were in some dire need of TLC and revamped, reworked, and redesigned them. (By we, I mean the person I was working with, I found out construction isn’t my gift). Continue reading “Saying Goodbye Part 2”